Mary Janes

Class has no expiry date. That's why Mary Jane Shoes are still trendy and up to date today. Unlike other it-pieces sketched by a designer, the shoes started their career quite untypically – in the comic strip "Buster Brown" by Richard Felton Outcoult. They had a single strap over the instep that was secured by a buckle or button and were worn in 1902 by the main characters, Buster Brown and his sweetheart Mary Jane. Two years later, Outcoult sold licenses to many companies giving them permission to use his characters to promote their products. Among them was a shoe company, later known as the Brown Shoe Company. It traveled all over the United States with real actors playing the Buster Brown characters, making the typical one-strap leather shoes famous. They soon became a sales hit and have been known as Mary Janes since then. All the classy kids all over the United States wore them and so it was only a matter of time until the adults discovered the stylish shoes and turned them into fashion pieces that not only conquered the States but Europe, too.

Over the years, the original shoes have adapted to the respective fashions regarding colors, patterns and types and elaborate buckles or buttons but they still have their trademark – the single strap over the instep. In the Roaring Twenties, they were given heels and completed the outfit of the notorious flappers. Apparently, they turned out to be fantastic dancing shoes as they are still worn by professional dancers today. In the 1990s and early 2000s,the fashion pieces made another evolution and became the favorite shoes of punkrockers, goths and psychobillies, often worn with knee-high knitted socks and plaid skirts. Apart from the typical Mary Jane Flats, there are now also other variations, such as Heels, Wedges, Block Heels and even Pumps. The shoes are versatile, go well with all kinds of fashion, never losing their typical style and their classy touch. All the fashion-conscious ladies should have at least one pair of them in their closet. To make sure they will never be forgotten, the American singer Fergie even dedicated a song to them on her album "The Duchess": "Mary Jane Shoes."

John Fluevog

The Canadian-born shoe designer John Fluevog has become famous for his progressive and unconventional designs. He has always been totally unimpressed by the fashion mainstream. Statement-Making shoes have become his trademark. He started his career in 1970, when he opened his first shoe store in Vancouver's historic quarter Gastown together with his co-worker, Peter Fox. Their collaboration lasted ten years and then the time had come for John Fluevog to do his own thing and start his first „John Fluevog Shoes“ store in his hometown of Vancouver. In 1985, Fluevog ventured out to the United States and opened his second store in Seattle. Fluevog's trademark, the Angel Soles, were born that year, too. Made of natural latex, they are resolable and bear Fluevog's message to the world: „Resists alkali, water, acid, fatigue and Satan“. Angel Boots have ever since been an essential ingredient in the US Grunge Scene.

Meanwhile, Fluevog has eleven stores in Canada and thirteen in the United States and his innovative and extravagant footwear is hyped by celebrities such as Madonna, Alice Cooper, Neil Patrick Harris and Beyonce. Fluevog even designed a boot collection together with Courtney Taylor of the Dandy Warhols. But he is not only famous for his designs but also for his unique way of making business. In his stores, his clients are welcomed into a friendly, comfy atmosphere and since he has set up his „Open Source Footwear“, they are even included in the design process. „Fluevogers“ are invited to send in their ideas and, if the master likes them, they are very likely to be turned into a real-life shoe. So it is only a natural consequence that Fluevog Shoes has recently been named one of the world's most innovative fashion companies that has definitely left its footprint in the fashion world.

Miz Mooz

You've probably heard the expression "Beauty is pain," but it doesn't have to be that way. Your feet can sport the latest styles without suffering for the look. New York City designer Miz Mooz is committed to producing on-trend women's footwear that feels as good as it looks.

Leather, Leather, So Much Leather.

There's nothing quite as nice on your feet as a quality pair of leather shoes. Miz Mooz knows that, so they give you any number of leather footwear styles from which to pick. You'll find leather sandals, boots, heels and more, and with such a wide range of options, there's a shoe here for every woman.

Leather doesn't have to mean just black or brown. This designer believes that shoes can come in any color under the rainbow. You can order leather shoes in shades of blue, green, red or purple. Of course, if you're a traditionalist, there are plenty of brown, black or gray neutrals to consider, and snakeskin leather is another popular option.

Best of all, this leather is hand-finished--a mark of high-quality shoes.

Your footwear should say something about you. That's why Miz Mooz specializes in statement-making footwear. Embellishments abound on these shoes, and often, the details are a nod to vintage styles. Buttons are a big thing on pieces from this designer, but you'll also find shoes with clasps or buckles.

These details and embellishments are carefully placed. Each piece has just enough special touches to give it a distinctive look without going overboard. The statement you make with these shoes will be both tasteful and memorable.

Pattern Play

Shoes are a girl's best friend. A pair of shoes can make a statement and there is a pair of shoes to express a girl's every mood: killer stilettos for the diva in her, classic pumps for the business lady, sneakers for the casual, sporty side. And then, there are loafers, ballerinas, sling-backs, boots, ankle boots, you name it. Great shoes make a great outfit even greater. And thank God, the times when shoes used to be all black, brown or gray are long gone! They have long since become fashion statements. Often, outfits are created around the shoes. Statement-Making Shoes come in bright colors, a cheerful print or a fancy pattern. Combined with unicolored dresses, pant suits or jeans, they bring some extra color to the outfit, turning it into a whole new look. Styled with multicolor outfits, they are sure to create an interesting new outfit and give a new meaning to color blocking. Patterned Shoes are another fashion must have. So why not buy some new shoes in a cheerful print or pattern?

Patterned Shoes are hot off the runways this fall. Pumps with colorful stripes or checkered patterns, stilettos in a kind of wasp design with black and yellow stripes or even pumps in a dragon design are sure to attract some attention in the streets. Statement-Making Shoes, however, do not need to be that funky. Patterned Shoes are also available in more muted colors and earth tones, such as bronze or gold, or a in a different arrangement of colors. Shoes in a cheerful and flashy pattern are the perfect combination to any kind of dress, pants or jeans. They are sure to let the sun come out even on a rainy day and bring color to the every-day grind. Patterned Shoes are a great fashion statement. So, if the shoe fits, wear it!